ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, OCT. 29, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Caritas teams are responding to a series of earthquakes that hit southwestern Pakistan today; the death toll is at 170 and climbing.
Caritas teams are on the ground in the Balochistan region. The strongest of the earthquakes measured 6.2 on the Richter scale.
Emergency Response Team Coordinator Dolores Halpin-Bachmann said: "The priorities are getting accurate assessments of destruction and responding to the needs of the people. We will be coordinating with Caritas staff over the next hours to put together a response.
"We have an excellent record in Pakistan. Caritas staff there have substantial training in responding to natural disasters, especially earthquakes. We've worked on disaster preparedness, which we hope will improve our ability to save lives."
Pakistan has a population of nearly 173 million, about 95% of which is Muslim.
